Steps to Success!

Three easy steps to becoming a Phoenix Children's Hospital intern:

1) Attend, in order, a five hour Patient Care Orientation, an eight hour Online Hospital Orientation, a two and a half-hour Hospital Tour. Take two TB tests, three vaccinations, a blood test, and sign five forms. Attend a one hour interview, receive two official badges.

2) Receive a beautiful, new, red, official Hospital Volunteer t-shirt.

3) Love the t-shirt. It took you long enough to earn it. Also, red is a great color.

In ten short days, the results of the final medical exams will come in, and I will strut into the hospital in my official red t-shirt and badge. And it will be the best day ever.

As my blood sits in a petri dish in a doctors office, I have begun my research for my project. So far, I have looked through state laws and records of Mississippi, the state which has the highest child obesity rate in the US, and compared the enactment of state laws with the trend in child obesity in the state. I have found, surprisingly, that the rate has fluctuated slightly as some laws were passed, indicating that there is a strong response to changing policies. However, over time, the rates would go back to their original status. Clearly, taking action is making a positive difference, however, the problem seems to lie in getting the changes to stick. I plan to continue researching exactly which policies correlated to the greatest fluctuation in child obesity rate, and why they have not had a long-term effect.

Additionally, I have begun my research of the great umbrella that is "Affects of Child Obesity." I have decided to build a firm foundation for my research by first studying Hepatology, the science of liver diseases. Liver diseases are directly related to the levels of adipose tissue (fatty tissue) in one's body, so educating myself on them seems like a good starting point. Interestingly, the study of Hepatology is so much more than just understanding  liver diseases. Rather, Hepatology most directly deals with curing and preventing liver diseases. For example, nearly 80% of liver cancers can be attributed to the Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus. With this new knowledge, vaccines have been developed to limit the spread of the Hepatitis B virus. Additionally, new policies in blood and organ transfusion have drastically reduced the rates of liver cancer in the US.

The more I learn about the far reaching effects of Hepatology, the more I am becoming interested in it. Studying this is akin to learning Biology or Chemistry, in that it is a whole new science. However,  I am loving every bit of knowledge I gain on my research project, and cannot wait to apply it all in the lab.